Vehicle-top.



L. M. LA ROQUE.

VEHICLE TOP.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-2.1914.

l 1 58.,8 1 5 Patented Nov. 2, 1915.

Witnesses arr "rrrc.

LLOYD M. LA ROQUE, OF KINSTON, NORTH CAROLINA, ASSIGNOR, T0 ELLIS CARRIAGE WORKS, ING. OF KINSTON, NORTH CAROLINA.

I VEHICLE-TOP.

To all whom it may concern: V

Be it known that I, LLOYD M. LA Room, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kinston, in the county of Lenoir and State of North Carolina, have invented a new and useful Vehicle-Top, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention appertains to vehicle top supports or rails and aims to provide a novel and improved detachable sup- )ort or rail for a bu 1 or other vehicle to 3. bb.

It is the object of the present invention to provide unique means for detachably ap plying a vehicle top support or rail to the side or end of a buggy or vehicle seat, whereby when the top is removed or out of use,

the support or rail as well as the top may be removed from the buggy or vehicle seat, in order that the seat will not be encumbered, and will be neater in appearance.

It is also Within the scope of the present invention to provide a detachable vehicle top support of comparatively simple, substantial and inexpensive construction, which may be applied to various vehicle seats, which may be readily attached to and removed from the seat, and which will otherwise be convenient, practical and eflicient in its use.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be madewithin the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spiritof the invention.

The invention has been illustrated in its preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a plan View of one of the supports or rails as applied to a vehicle seat. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the support or rail illustrating the same in broken posi- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed SepteinberZ, 1914.

Patented Nov. 2, 1915.

Serial No. 859,807.

. 5, and the rear end of the forward section 2 is provided with a tongue or portion 6 pivoted within the fork 4 under the web 5, by means of a rivet or pivot pin 7. The upper edge of the tongue or portion 6 is provided Witha recess or cut away portion 8 for receiving the web 5 when the sections 2 and 3 are swung into alinement, and whereby the joint will present a neat and flush appearance.

The free ends of the arms of the fork 4L and the tongue or portion 6 are provided with apertures 9 which are brought into alinement or registration when the sections 2 and 3 are straightened out, whereby a the back of the seat S as seen in Fig. 1, while the forward end of the forward section 2 is provided with an upwardlv and rearwardly bent portion 13 for the pivotal connection of the bow B of the vehicle top. The rear section 3 is also provided'with an outstanding finger 14 for the pivotal connection of the brace B, while the sections 2 and 3 are provided with outer buttons or knobs 15 for the engagement of the side curtains of the top.

The seat S is provided with means for the engagement of the support or rail Land to this end, upright bars 16 are secured in any suitable manner to the corresponding side or end of the seat and have their upper ends bent angularly to provide outstanding ears 17 while the back of the seati's provided with a similar outstanding ear 18.

The support or rail 1 is, provided with means engaging the ears 1'? and 1S, and to this end, each of the sections 2 and Z) is provided intermediate its ends with a depending hook 19, the two hooks projecting in opposite directions, or away from each other, and the free end of the arm 12 is also provided with a depending hook 20. The hooks 19 and 20 are engageable with the respective ears 17 and 18, the said ears having the respective" slots 21 and 22 for the reception of the hooks.

The ears 17 and 18 are so arranged, as to properly cooperate with the hooks 19 and 20,

respectively, of the support or rail 1. In applying the support or rail 1 to the seat S, the hook 20 of the arm 12 is first engaged through the slot 22 of therear ear 1S, and the sections 2 and 3 of the support or rail are then swung relative to one another, by v breaking their joint, as seen in Fig. 2, in order that the hooks 19 may drop through the slots 21 of the cars 17. Then, by straightening out the support or rail 1, the bills of the hooks 19 will be projected under the cars 17, as suggested in Fig.4, to lock the support or rail securely upon the ears 17' and 1 8. The locking pin 10 may then be inserted through the apertures 9 to hold the support or rail in place and to prevent its accidental detachment. The bow B and brace B of the top may then be applied to the support or rail 1 in the usual manner. It is therefore evident that when the vehicle top is out of use or removed, the support or cars 17 and 18,. respectively. In this manner, the supports or ra ls as well as the bow Bv and brace B may be detached from the seat S to render the seat neat and unencumbered, when the top 1s removed. It will be evident,

however, that the supports or rails may be readily applied to and removed from the seat, so as to not inconvenience the application and removal of the top.

The hook 20 of the arm 12 being engaged to the rear ear 18, will prevent the support or rail 1 from swinging, and will thereby car, and the front and rear sections having hooks engageable through the first men tioned pair of ears when the sections are' broken and arranged to lock under the said ears when the sections are straightened out, and means for locking the said sections against relative movement when they are straightened out. i a I 2. In a device of the character described, a vehicle top support adaptedtobe disposed at one side of a vehicle seat and embodying -ointed front and rear-sections a Jair of 7 members attachable to one side of a vehicle seat, the sections and said members having means adapted to interengage when the'sections are broken and then straightened'out, and the sections having-means" at their re-v mote ends for the attachment of a vehicle top.

3. In a device of the character described, a vehicle top support adapted to be disposed at one side of a vehicleseat and embodying jointed front and rear sections, the rear sec-r tion having an arm bent to one side from its rear end to lie in rear of the seat, a pair of members attachable to, one side of a vehicle seat, a third member attachable to the back of the vehicle seat, the said arm and third member having interengageable means, and the sections and said pair of members having means adapted to interengage when the sections are broken and then straightened out.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto atfixed my signa ture in the presence of two witnesses.

LLoYD'M. LA-BOQIIE. IVitnesses ERNEST R. TULL, E. LVXVILLARI).

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents;

Washington, D. C. 

